Qatar National Football Team: The Asian Champions and World Cup Hosts

The Qatar national football team has been rising in the ranks, qualifying for major tournaments, and aiming for World Cup glory. Learn about the history and key players propelling the Maroon team forward.

Qatar National Football Team

The Qatar national football team, known as ‘The Maroons,’ represents Qatar in international football and is governed by the Qatar Football Association and the AFC. They play their home games at Khalifa International Stadium and Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. We consider the latter to be the home stadium. Qatar is a member of both the FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Championships Won by Qatar

The team won the Arabian Gulf Cup in 1992, 2004 and 2014. They have appeared in ten Asian Cup tournaments and won it twice in 2019 and 2023, beating Japan, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea in the process during 2019, conceding just one goal.

The Maroons secured their first AFC Asian Cup title in 2019, having qualified for every Asian Cup edition. They have also clinched the Arabian Gulf Cup three times and the WAFF Championship in 2014.

The Qatar national team has had limited international success and has often been accused of abusing naturalization laws to acquire players. However, they did win the Arabian Gulf Cup three times and won back-to-back AFC Asian Cup titles in 2019 and 2023. The side also participated in the 2022 FIFA World Cup as hosts.

The 2023 AFC Asian Cup saw hosts and defending champions Qatar clinch their consecutive continental crown in front of their home fans. The iconic Lusail Stadium witnessed one more historic night as Qatar became the fifth nation to win back-to-back Asian titles.

Host of FIFA World Cup 2022

Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup and therefore qualified automatically for what was their first appearance in the event. On 25 November 2022, Qatar became the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup, and this event marked the first time an Arab nation hosted the competition. Subsequently, they became the worst-performing host nation in the history of the FIFA World Cup, not winning a single game.

Football Rivalries

Qatar has footballing rivalries with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Qatar, ranked 61st in the FIFA rankings, boasts quality in their squad and holds the top spot in Group A.

History of Qatar Football National Team

Established in the 1960s, the Qatar Football Association was affiliated with FIFA three years later. While Qatar has a rich history in continental football, its participation in the FIFA World Cup 2022 stands out as a significant milestone.

Qatar National Football Team: Best Players on the Team

Despite their early exit from the World Cup 2022, Ghana-born Mohammed Muntari made history by becoming Qatar’s first goal scorer in the tournament. Forward Hassan Al-Haydos, the current captain, boasts 129 appearances with 48 goal contributions. Qatar achieved its highest FIFA ranking of 42 in 2021 under head coach Felix Sanchez.

Rankings By Football International Governing Body

Football’s international governing body, FIFA released its latest rankings on February 15, 2024, following the conclusion of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The latest rankings have adjudged Qatar, the two-time champions of Asia, as the most successful Asian team. The Maroons have climbed 21 places and now hold their highest-ever FIFA ranking at 37. Jordan on the other hand, has climbed up 17 places and is currently ranked 70.

Japan continues to be the highest-ranked Asian team but has dropped down to 18 from 17. Iran has moved up to 20th from 21st, South Korea has risen to 22nd from 23rd, and Australia now ranks 23rd.

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